6 Adulting Problems That Our Parents Don’t Understand

Let’s face it: school did not prepare us for adulthood. While the older generation feels we should be thrown into the real world to face the harsh reality and struggle. Others feel slightly bad for our generation (as they should since they failed to educate us correctly). But let’s be real, it’s a difficult world out there that only other millennials will understand.

There are struggles and expenses that didn’t exist back in the day when our parents were our age and trying to figure it out for themselves. They didn’t have to pay additional fees like phone bills, internet, or even for tuition since it was rare they even went to post-secondary school. It’s so much easier to make friends or find relationships because people were engaged in a face to face conversation. They also had workplaces with plenty of employees to socialize with.

Here are things all millennials can relate to because our parents can’t.

The Loneliness

I’ll admit, loneliness is a bitter pill to swallow, and our parents can semi-relate to this. But these days it’s so much harder to get out of depressive funks. We get constant reminders on social media how lonely we are. Whether it’s being done with school and having no way to meet new people or moving to a new town where you don’t know anyone; it’s hard to make friends unless they’re through work and if you don’t have young coworkers you’re screwed.

The Stress Of Dating

Sadly, we don’t wait patiently by the phone for our crush to call. Heck, you don’t even meet people in person anymore. Now you have to swipe for a date, try and have a painfully awkward conversation via text and hope that they’re normal if you meet in person. Additionally, with each person you meet you have to worry about getting ghosted, breadcrumbed, shelved, or just ignored. It’s hard to let your guard down when no one has the respect to end things via conversation or keeps you around even though they “aren’t ready for a relationship.”

Additionally, with each person you meet you have to worry about getting ghosted, breadcrumbed, shelved, or just ignored while analyzing every text and social media post. It’s hard to let your guard down when no one has the respect to end things via conversation. They keep you around even though they “aren’t ready for a relationship.”

Texts Can Be Confusing

When we read our dramatic text conversations to our parents they honestly look at us like we have three heads. They don’t understand the shade that might have been thrown or the underlying tone we’re sensing. Every important text gets overanalyzed, the response time is critical, and the reply can make or break the continued conversation.

Finding Balance Between Work and Traveling

It’s so easy for them to say “If I had my time back I’d focus on traveling before settling down and focusing on a career and a family.” While I agree that now is the right time to travel, you also need to get money to do so. Plus most employers are super strict with how much time you’re allowed to have off. Nowadays you need to be employed somewhere for at least a year before you qualify, so this may change your traveling plans drastically.

Social Media Is What Keeps You Connected

While our parents have learned the beauty of Facebook in terms of keeping in contact with long lost friends; they have yet to understand how other forms work. Learning about events in our friend’s lives are only a click away, so when we’re on our phones we’re probably checking in to see how things are going or are asking our friends how things were after seeing a post. It also works to show them what’s new so you always stay updated.

Online Shopping

Do you know how hard it is to save money when those stupid emails are in your inbox taunting you? Next thing you know you have a full shopping cart and your credit card pulled out while you prepare to immediately start tracking your products. Parents might see the convenience behind this, but they probably don’t know about our secret addiction we can’t tame. They don’t know how hard it is to save money and budget when this secret is always on our minds.

Like I said earlier, there are struggles that only other millennials will understand and relate to. We can also relate to the fact that our parents have absolutely no clue about why these are so crucial. Why they’re so hard to figure out, or just how significant these are for our developing lives and minds. But we can’t lie, it is kind of funny when they finally understand it and start incorporating it into their conversations with us.

Featured image via Alexander Dummer on Unsplash